Penn State will try to spin this loss by citing the stats -- which were fairly even -- and calling it growing pains for a young quarterback and young team. And I agree that Penn State played better after the first quarter, when it fell behind by 10-0.

But there are glaring issues, folks:

First is how Penn State fails to finish drives. Penn State left seven to 11 points on the table again tonight. That's no way to win football games in the Big Ten.

Second is that Rob Bolden is no run threat. Whatever happened to Penn State using the QB as a runner, as the Lions did in 2005 and in 2008 and to some degree in 2009? A QB who can also run gives the defense something else to think about.

Third, and this is very important: Penn State's defense takes too long to assert itself. You have to be ready from the start; you just can't let a team make a couple of drives, analyze what the opposition is doing and then adjust. I mean, you dig a 10-0 or 14-0 hole and then make your adjustments, you had better have an explosive offense. And that, we know, Penn State does not have.

Fourth, Penn State's pass coverage in the secondary was exposed again. (Including the Iowa game, opponents are completing 63 percent of their passes against Penn State). Cornerback Stephon Morris, who I thought was pretty good, was picked on about five times Saturday by Iowa and to great success. Morris is in the neighborhood, even fairly close to the receiver, but he's not making the play.

ALSO OF NOTE

TV analyst Bob Davie, who is good, kept gushing over Penn State's defense in the second half. But the two times that the Nittany Lions really needed a three-and-out on Iowa in the second half, the defense failed. The first time was just after Iowa's goal-line stand. The second time was after a Penn State punt pinned Iowa at its own six. Both times, Iowa's offense gained at least 34 yards to tilt the field in its favor.

Every damn TV broadcast talks about Devon Smith's great speed. Well, it's time he started making some great plays. (I believe he has yet to break a tackle this season.)

Running back Evan Royster again looked like a guy who will be lucky to get drafted. Stephfon Green didn't look any better, and true frosh Silas Redd had one excellent run. Redd gets to the hole quicker than the other two, but I'm not sure even Chris Johnson would have had 100 yards with that offensive line going against that defensive line.

A clarification on the final seconds of rhe first half. Even though Penn State wasted three seconds, it still intended to go for a touchdown from the Hawkeye 3-yard-line until the Lions committed a penalty. That, in turn, meant forced the Lions to try for the field goal.

Another penalty also was costly for Penn State, too. On fourth-and-about-six-inches in the fourth quarter, the Lions were ready to gamble until freshman tight end Kevin Haplea jumped offsides.

More bad clock management: Trailing 17-3 near the end of the third quarter, Penn State had just run the ball for no gain at about midfield. The clock showed about 27 seconds remaining in the quarter. Time was of the essence, as Penn State was, after all, trailing by two touchdowns. As such, Penn State should have showed reasonable urgency to get off another play in the third quarter. It did not, and the clock ticked to double zeroes before it could snap the ball. It's just a small thing, but when you're losing by two scores and you've already wasted a time out earlier in the half, you have to preserve time.

You know, had Penn State scored that touchdown on the first drive of the third quarter, it would have been a helluva lot more interesting second half.

On third-and-goal at the Hawkeye 1-yard-line -- during that goal-line stand by Iowa -- Penn State fullback Michael Zordich was jacked up for no gain. Penn State is gonna need another short yardage play on third down, as I am reasonably certain that all three linebackers and all four defensive backs and all four defensive linemen and the players on the sideline and the people in the stands and the people watching on TV and the people watching the other games on TV and the people watching Law & Order on NBC were thinking that the Penn State fullback was gonna get the ball.

By my count, Anthony Fera had four mediocre and one really, really bad punt.

Penn State's offensive coaches did manage to come up with a decent attack in the second half with the short passing game. But, see the very first point above: You have to finish drives. (And I sure hope the offense is not regressing to the early part of last decade, but the Lions are averaging only 13 points per game this year against FBS competition.)

Current Comments

It's going to be a long season, but the team is young and will improve. I think they need to get Silas Redd into the rotation. This kid had a nice run for about 20 yards. The short passes were working in the 3rd Qtr. Why a shuffle pass to Royster on 2nd and 25 at PSU 8??? Way too risky against a tough Iowa D.

Posted By: Mike | Oct 2, 2010 11:55:40 PM

Did not realize the point of college coaching was to hang on until you reach some insurmountable record. All I see JoePa doing is complaining to the refs or standing by himself. Is he actually engaged in game day coaching?